Qatar Poultry Meat Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Qatar Poultry Meat Market Trends and Insights

Rapid growth in per-capita poultry consumption

Qatar's per-capita poultry consumption is increasing, driven by demographic changes and a shift towards Western dietary habits. This trend continues despite the market's maturity. Qatar's expatriate population, which makes up nearly 90% of the total population^{[1]Source: Freedom House, "Political Pluralism and Participation", fredomhouse.org}, including expatriates, migrant workers, and some stateless residents, prefers familiar protein sources. Additionally, rising disposable incomes are encouraging the adoption of premium poultry products. The Qatari government supports local poultry production by providing 70% feed subsidies and free veterinary services, enabling competitive pricing and boosting domestic consumption. Moreover, the growth of Qatar's tourism sector has amplified demand, as hotels and restaurants require steady poultry supplies to meet the expectations of international guests. In 2024, Qatar's tourism sector exceeded its target, recording 5.08 million visitors compared to the goal of 4.79 million^{[2]Source: Qatar National Tourism Council, "2024-year-of-milestones-for-qatar-tourism", qatartourism.com}, according to the Qatar National Tourism Council. Health-conscious residents in Qatar are increasingly choosing poultry over red meat, further driving consumption growth. However, this expansion faces challenges, as rising water and feed costs limit production scalability.

Growing popularity of processed, value-added, and convenience products

As Qatar continues to urbanize and more households adopt dual-income structures, there is a significant shift towards convenience-driven purchasing decisions, particularly in the processed poultry segment. According to the World Bank, 99% of Qatar's population resides in urban areas in 2024^{[3]Source: World Bank, "Urban population", worldbank.org}, highlighting the growing demand for ready-to-cook and processed food products. Local companies are actively addressing this demand. For instance, Zowadet Baladna operates four production lines that specialize in breaded products, formed items, marinated goods, and cold cuts. Similarly, the National Food Company caters to both domestic and export markets by producing a variety of processed poultry items, including nuggets, fillets, and shish tawook. Consumers' increasing willingness to pay a premium for products that save preparation time. This trend is particularly prominent among expatriate communities, who are accustomed to international processed food brands and seek similar convenience in Qatar. Investments in cold-chain infrastructure further support this growth by ensuring the quality and safety of processed poultry products throughout the supply chain. Processing also allows companies to maximize value from whole-bird utilization, reducing waste and enhancing profitability. For example, Mazzraty operates eight plants that manage the entire production cycle, including the recycling of by-products, thereby contributing to sustainable practices. The growth of the processed poultry segment aligns closely with Qatar's National Manufacturing Strategy, positioning it as a critical component of the country's industrial diversification efforts and economic development goals.

Increasing role of foodservice and hospitality sector, driving demand

Qatar's growing hospitality sector is establishing stable demand channels, enabling poultry producers to achieve both volume stability and premium pricing. As part of its tourism strategy, Qatar is significantly enhancing its foodservice capacity. Hotels, restaurants, and catering services increasingly require consistent, high-quality poultry supplies. Events such as the FIFA World Cup 2022 demonstrated Qatar's expertise in managing large-scale food logistics, supported by the Watheq food safety system's processing capabilities. In July 2025, Qatar's Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) introduced procedures for issuing commercial licenses to cloud kitchens. This initiative aims to streamline regulations, foster innovation, and drive digital transformation in the food sector. By establishing a clear regulatory framework, the initiative is expected to attract investments, promote entrepreneurship, and drive growth in the cloud kitchen segment, further strengthening Qatar's foodservice market. The increasing foodservice demand is also driving the need for standardized products and consistent quality. This trend benefits larger, vertically integrated producers capable of meeting the stringent standards of international hospitality.

Expansion of modern retail and e-commerce cold-chains

Modern retail infrastructure in Qatar is significantly improving consumer access to a wide range of poultry products while simultaneously driving market premiumization through enhanced product presentation and preservation techniques. The country's retail sector is leveraging advanced logistics capabilities, with leading retailers expanding their cold-chain infrastructure to meet the increasing demand for frozen and chilled product categories. This development aligns with the broader regional trends in e-commerce growth, which is steadily gaining traction. The modernization of the retail landscape is further reflected in the Off-Trade segment's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.02%. Supermarkets and hypermarkets are actively investing in state-of-the-art refrigeration technologies and advanced inventory management systems, enabling them to offer a more extensive and diverse product assortment to consumers. Additionally, government-led initiatives, such as the QDB SME Directory, play a pivotal role in strengthening the supply chain. This directory, which includes 556 manufacturing companies and 399 service providers, facilitates stronger connections between local producers and retail channels, thereby supporting efforts to localize and streamline the supply chain.

Imported-feed price volatility

Fluctuations in feed costs continue to exert significant pressure on profit margins, posing a challenge that government subsidies can only partially address. This limitation restricts producers' profitability and hampers their ability to expand operations. Corn prices, which currently average USD 4.10 per bushel, are heavily impacted by global supply disruptions caused by reduced exports from Ukraine and Russia. Additionally, increased domestic consumption in major exporting countries like Brazil and Argentina further limits alternative sourcing options, exacerbating the issue. Qatar's 70% feed subsidy program provides some financial relief to producers; however, it also increases fiscal exposure for the government. This is particularly concerning as feed represents the largest operational expense for poultry producers, making it a critical factor in their cost structure. Thailand's experience with negotiating temporary WTO arrangements, which reduced soybean meal tariffs from a prohibitive 119% to just 2%, highlights the profound influence of feed costs on a country's competitiveness in the poultry market. This example suggests that Qatar may need to explore similar trade policy interventions to sustain the viability of its production sector. Furthermore, the volatility in feed prices creates significant challenges for production planning. Producers face difficulties in committing to long-term contracts due to the unpredictable nature of input cost fluctuations. This uncertainty not only discourages investment in expansion projects but also forces producers to maintain higher working capital reserves as a buffer against price instability. Consequently, these factors collectively reduce the overall efficiency and competitiveness of the sector.

Avian-influenza and bio-security risks

Continuous vigilance and substantial investment in biosecurity measures are critical to mitigating the threats posed by avian influenza. These measures, while necessary, significantly increase operational costs and expose producers to the risk of devastating production losses. The global HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b strain has been a major cause of poultry deaths worldwide. Qatar's geographical location along migratory bird flyways further exacerbates its exposure to the disease. Additionally, the nation's reliance on concentrated production within operational broiler farms heightens its susceptibility to the rapid spread of infections. The FAO-WOAH Global Strategy for HPAI Prevention 2024-2033 highlights the need for a comprehensive approach, including risk-based surveillance systems, enhanced laboratory capabilities, and sustained investments in biosecurity infrastructure. Compliance with WOAH standards for achieving and maintaining a disease-free status requires transparent and timely reporting to WAHIS, the implementation of genomic surveillance technologies, and the development of contingency plans to manage potential mass mortality events effectively. These stringent biosecurity requirements tend to favor larger, well-capitalized producers who can absorb the associated costs and operational demands. However, they create significant barriers to entry for smaller operators, potentially reducing competition within the market. This shift could lead to a higher concentration of systemic risk, as fewer, larger producers dominate the industry, making it more vulnerable to widespread disruptions in the event of an outbreak.